


It's Complicated

by bfketh



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkwardness, Established Relationship, Fluff, Light Angst, Lovers to Friends to Lovers, M/M, NOT a love triangle, One Night Stands, Shameless Smut, So Much Awkwardness, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-17
Updated: 2015-02-17
Packaged: 2018-02-05 00:48:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1799350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bfketh/pseuds/bfketh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's not something they do often, not enough to call them swingers, but once or maybe twice a year, Levi and Erwin will invite a stranger to join them for the night.</p><p>They have a few rules: no last names, no phone numbers. It happens once, and then they're strangers again. It keeps things simple.</p><p>But when Erwin's new PA, Eren Jaeger, turns out to be a young man with very vivid - and very <em>familiar</em> - green eyes, things become anything but simple.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It's Simple

Erwin sipped on his scotch as he scanned the bar, one arm casually flung over the back of the circular booth. Levi had sent him a text message twenty minutes ago, saying he'd finished at the office and would meet him there as soon as he'd showered and changed. Normally, he'd be starting to chafe at the wait; Levi was _supposed_ to have met him nearly an hour ago. However, Erwin had discovered a rather... interesting diversion.

"Sorry I'm late." Erwin's gaze left the bar to flick up at the short man standing next to his booth. Levi's eyes glittered with irritation, and his lips twitched downward, "I swear, if I have to spend another Friday wading through a 40-page marketing report to pull out the only two _useful_ pieces of information, I'm going to fucking gut someone. When the hell are you getting a new assistant to help with this shit?"

"Hm, Hanji already found someone. He starts Monday."

"Thank fucking Buddha." Levi slid into the opening of the booth opposite Erwin, primly crossing his legs. As he sat, Erwin eyed his clothes appreciatively. Levi had changed into a deep maroon button-up and a pair of black leather pants that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. So, he was in one of _those_ moods today.

Good. That just so happened to suit Erwin perfectly.

"You seem stressed," Erwin smiled and leaned forward, covering Levi's hand on the table with his own. "I think I might know how to help you take care of that," he dropped his voice to a low rumble as he swept the pad of his thumb across the other man's knuckles.

Levi raised one graceful eyebrow, "Someone caught your eye." It was a statement, not a question. This was a game they'd played before, though not often - maybe once or twice a year.

"More like I caught his," Erwin chuckled. "Brunet, at this end of the bar, just behind my shoulder."

Levi's grey eyes turned speculative. Erwin didn't have to turn his head to know what he was seeing: a young man, mid-twenties, with disheveled brown hair, darkly tanned skin, and eyes that were such a brilliant green that even with the dim lighting you could still tell what color they were from where the two men were sitting.

After a minute of silent contemplation, Levi hummed approvingly, "Not bad." With that, the dark-haired man stood up and walked to the bar, ostensibly to get a drink. As he walked away, Erwin couldn't help but note - and appreciate - the deliberate way he swayed his hips.

Levi was _definitely_ in one of those moods.

~~~~~

Eren had come into the bar on a whim. Now, he was nursing his third beer and starting to get pleasantly buzzed while he tried to talk himself into going home. He’d just about done it, too, when the tall, statuesque blond had sat down in the booth just to his left, and Eren had become acutely aware of three things about himself.

One, he was unquestionably, unequivocally gay. (Not that he hadn't had this mostly figured out by the time he graduated college.)

Two, he definitely had a thing for older men.

And three, any desire he’d managed to work up to go back to his apartment had completely vanished.

While he finished off his current beer and half of a fourth, Eren kept stealing glances over at the other man. He felt his mouth go dry when the blond casually leaned back, his shoulder flexing under the soft grey material of his v-neck cardigan as he draped an arm along the booth.

_‘Holy shit, how do you even **get** muscles like that? He’s like Chris Evans’s stunt double.’_

Not long after that a second man had come into the bar and joined the first. The newcomer was short, with straight black hair styled in a severe undercut. His eyes were heavy-lidded, and, despite his stature, he was just as well-built as the blond. The last point was only emphasized by pants that looked like they were painted onto his skin.

Eren wasn't the most…observant person at times, but even he could tell by the body language between the two that there was something a bit more intimate than friendship there, and he felt a brief tinge of disappointment. That disappointment quickly changed to a surge of panic when the shorter man stood up and walked towards the bar. Eren spun back around to face his drink.

_‘Don’t come over here. Don’t come over here. Shit, shit, shit, did he see me checking his boyfriend out? Please God, Jesus, Satan, **someone** , don’t let him come over here.’_

He felt relieved when the man just walked up to the bartender without sparing him a glance and ordered a vodka and tonic.

That relief was short-lived.

“Oi, brat.”

Eren jumped at the low voice in his ear and whipped his head around to the left. meeting a pair of steel-grey eyes. He swallowed nervously, "Y-yes?" His voice came out in a sort of wavering squeak, and he felt the tips of his ears go red in embarrassment.

The man continued to stare at him coldly, "I watched you eye-fucking my husband."

_'I'm dead. I'm so dead. I don't even have a will. I hope Mikasa lets Armin have the X-box.'_

"That's... I didn't mean... I'm sorry..." Eren frantically tried to stammer out an apology, but each attempt quickly fizzled out under the intensity of that icy glare.

Without breaking eye contact, the man took a sip of his drink, gingerly holding the glass by the rim. He then set it down on the bar before reaching out and gently gripping Eren's chin between his thumb and forefinger. "I'd rather watch..." as he spoke, the man leaned forward, and Eren caught a whiff of his cologne, a heady mix of musk and sandalwood, "... _him_ fucking _you_."

_'At least the guy that's going to kill me is hot. It's better than slipping and breaking my neck in the shower or something... Wait, what did he just say?!'_

"W-what...? You...me... What?"

The man simply smirked and ran his thumb over Eren's lower lip. Eren stared at him, wide-eyed, as his own heartbeat thundered in his ears.

Just then, a deep voice spoke soothingly on his other side, "Now, now. You're scaring the boy."

Eren turned his head to the other side and found himself looking up into the calm blue eyes of the blond of the pair. He opened his mouth, "Um...hi."

He then immediately groaned and buried his face in his arms on top of the bar. _'Smooth, Jaeger. Really, really smooth.'_

He heard a short laugh on his left, "He's a cute little shit, isn't he?"

"Shut up," Eren grumbled into his arms. He raised his head and narrowed his eyes at the dark haired man on his left, trying his best to ignore the blush he could feel burning in his cheeks, "It's not like I have _two_ hot guys coming up to me in bars and hitting on me every day."

_'Or ever,'_ he added silently to himself.

"Well, look at you," the man smirked back at him. "The brat has some fire in him after all."

The blond on his right chuckled, "Well, how about it?" He reached out, covering Eren's hand where it lay on the bar with his own and brushing his thumb along Eren's wrist, "Did you want to join us tonight?"

Eren blinked up at him and blurted out, "But I don't even know your _names_." Objectively, Eren knew there were more important things about this situation that he should probably be bringing up, but he really couldn't think of any at the moment. Probably something related to making sure they weren't planning to kill him and eat his liver or something.

The blond man smiled, "I'm Erwin. This is Levi." He nodded at his companion, who raised an eyebrow at Eren.

Eren stared at him blankly for a moment before realization hit him, "...Oh! I'm Eren Ja-"

He was suddenly cut off by Levi pressing a finger against his lips, "Just a couple things before this goes any further, kid. First of all: no last names and no phone numbers; it keeps things simple. This is a one-time deal, with none of that Craigslist 'missed connections' bullshit. You see us again, you don't know us, you don't approach us. Second, if you want to stop at _any_ time, that's fine. We'll get you a cab to take you anywhere you want to go; no hard feelings. Okay?"

Eren nodded. It seemed reasonable enough. Not that Eren had any clue at all about how these kind of things were supposed to go. He chewed on the inside of his lower lip as he thought the offer over. Mikasa and Armin would probably be horrified if they knew he was contemplating a one-night stand, and that was without even bringing into it that it would be with a couple. On the other hand, Eren was impulsive at the best of times even without the clouding fizz of alcohol in his brain, and he _really_ didn’t want to go home right now. Plus, Erwin's hand felt nice and warm on his own, and - _holy shit_ \- was that Levi's hand creeping up the inside of his thigh?

He drained the rest of his beer in one gulp, “What the hell. It’s not like I had anything planned tonight.”

He grabbed his coat and followed the other two out of the bar before his common sense could catch up to him and make him change his mind.


	2. Not So Simple

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which I earn that Explicit rating.

If anyone had told Eren that morning that he would later be on his hands and knees on a hotel bed with a man’s fingers up his ass while another man reclined against the headboard and watched, he would have either laughed in their face or backed away slowly while looking for an exit.

It’s funny how things work out sometimes.

“Hah!” Eren gasped as he rocked backwards. The slight burning sensation of being stretched and the odd feeling of _intrusion_ had faded by now, leaving behind only a building, tingling pleasure that Eren wanted _more_ of.

“Greedy brat,” Levi chuckled from his position in front of Eren. He’d removed his shirt, and Eren’s eyes followed the path of his hand as he trailed it teasingly down his perfectly sculpted abdomen to palm the front of his pants. Eren desperately wanted to touch him as well, but by this point he was barely keeping himself upright with both his arms braced against the bed.

And then Erwin suddenly pressed down on that certain spot inside him, and he collapsed to his elbows with a shaky groan as a wave of intense pleasure swept through him. Levi spoke again, voice rich with amusement, “I think he’s ready now. Unless you wanted him to come on just your fingers.”

“That wasn't the plan, no.” Eren shivered, partly at the husky tone of Erwin's voice and partly at the sensation of emptiness as he withdrew his hand.

He hung his head and caught his breath, dimly hearing the sounds of a foil packet ripping and a bottle cap being popped open. His more immediate attention, however, was taken up by the bulge straining against black leather pants just inches below his face. He tentatively reached out a hand, placing it on one of the thighs bracketing his head. As he slid it forward, he looked up into grey eyes, “Is this okay?”

He watched Levi's eyes widen slightly, pupils expanding almost imperceptibly. “Fuck, yes, it’s okay,” Levi breathed out, one of his hands coming up to brush through Eren’s hair. Not needing any further invitation, he quickly unfastened Levi's pants, pulling them and his briefs down just far enough to free his erection. It bounced up from its confines, almost hitting Levi's stomach. Eren eyed it for a moment and licked his lips before leaning forward and lapping up a bead of precum leaking down from the tip.

Levi jolted, his hips twitching upward, “Fucking _Christ_. You have a tongue ring?”

In answer, Eren just grinned cheekily up at him before sticking out his tongue to show off the silver ball embedded in the middle. He lowered his head back down and closed his lips over the head of Levi's dick. As he slid down, he made sure to press his piercing against the slit. He let out a pleased hum as Levi's sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth.

As Eren took Levi in deeper, he felt a pair of strong hands grip his hips, angling them upward. A hard heat started to enter him, and he moaned around Levi in his mouth. Erwin slowly sank in, and Eren had to release Levi to pant for air. He was being stretched much further than even three of Erwin’s fingers had done, and Eren had to fight a surge of panic that he wouldn't fit, made worse by the fact that he couldn't see what Erwin was doing. He pressed his face against Levi's thigh as he tried to make himself relax, pushing back the feeling that it was all _too much_.

"Shh," Levi soothingly carded his hand through his hair, "You're doing so good, Eren. _So_ good."

He relaxed a little at the touch, and then Erwin leaned forward over him to ask, "Do you want me to stop?"

Eren stubbornly shook his head, ignoring the tears pooling in the corners of his eyes, "No, don't... Don't stop..."

Erwin pressed a kiss into the skin behind his ear as one of his hands moved from Eren's hip to his front. He started stroking him, and Eren finally relaxed enough for Erwin to finish entering him. He stayed still, letting Eren adjust. He didn't move again until Eren gave his hips a little buck backward to let him know it was okay.

Erwin started slowly, barely rolling his hips to get Eren used to the movement, and, holy shit, Eren had seen that Erwin was…gifted when the man was undressed, but _feeling_ it, as it filled him up and stretched out his walls, was an entirely different matter. Discomfort was quickly being replaced with a _need_ burning in the pit of his stomach. He threw back his head and moaned, shamelessly rutting his hips against Erwin in an attempt to get him to speed up.

Erwin obliged, gripping Eren’s hips tighter, and the air soon became filled with the lewd sounds of flesh hitting flesh, interspersed with panting gasps from Erwin and high-pitched mewls from Eren whenever a strong thrust hit his prostate.

Hearing a breathy laugh in front of him, Eren opened his eyes (when had he closed them?) to see Levi staring at him intently. “You like that don’t you?” the man practically purred, “You like the feeling of his thick cock in you, breaking you apart from the inside out.”

“Hah…yes…” Eren breathed out, his head lolling forward. As his field of vision moved, he saw Levi’s hand working rhythmically over himself. Eren frowned and reached out to grab Levi’s wrist, stilling him. Before Levi could protest, Eren bent his head down, once again taking Levi into his mouth. Levi moved his hand away, gripping the back of Eren’s hair instead, as the three of them started moving together.

Feeling himself being pushed relentlessly closer to the edge, Eren concentrated his attention on bringing Levi over that peak with him. He froze for a moment, looking up at Levi through his eyelashes.

"Hey, brat, what are you _hoooly shit-fucking **Christ**_ -!"

Eren had only paused to relax his throat before plunging down until his nose touched the soft hairs at the base of Levi's shaft. He pulled slowly up, laving his tongue against the pulsing heat in his mouth. When he neared the top, he flicked his piercing at the sensitive spot just under the head. Levi choked back a moan, thrusting upward. In response, Eren dove back down, letting out a moan of his own as he took Levi completely in again. He swallowed around him, and Levi stiffened, his breath coming out in a strangled gasp.

Levi's hand tightened painfully in his hair just as the first bitter mouthful hit the back of Eren's throat. He pulled off, swallowing what was in his mouth as the rest of Levi's release splattered across his cheek and chin. He had just a moment to take in the expression on Levi's face, eyes tightly shut and mouth open in a silent scream, before one final well-placed thrust from Erwin brought him crashing down as well. Eren cried out brokenly, collapsing into Levi's lap as Erwin fucked him through his orgasm. Dimly, Eren felt Erwin's fingers convulse against his hips, and then Erwin was pulling out, and Eren shuddered at the over-stimulation.

A couple minutes later, Eren felt Erwin shift on the bed. He opened his eyes and looked up to see him leaning in to kiss Levi. In that moment, he felt like he was intruding on something intensely personal between the two men, and he quickly shut his eyes again, pressing his face into Levi's hip. Eren didn't move again until he heard Erwin get up and walk into the bathroom.

He pushed himself up with a sigh, scanning the floor for his discarded clothes. He was brought up short by a gruff, "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"I thought..." Eren gulped, looking up to meet Levi's curious stare, "I thought that I should...should probably get going."

Levi arched an eyebrow, "It's the middle of the goddamned night. You can leave in the morning." He paused, "Or do you have someone waiting at home?"

"No..." Eren looked back down, his hand clenching the blanket, "There's no one..."

"Then stay here. We'll get you a cab in the morning," Erwin insisted gently as he emerged from the bathroom. He held out a damp washcloth to Eren, who took it gratefully, before giving a second one to Levi. As the two of them cleaned up, Erwin pulled the soiled outer coverlet off of the bed, making Levi grumble when he had to get up, and then he turned back the sheet and blanket and climbed in. Erwin patted the bed next to him, "Eren?"

Eren hesitated briefly before climbing in next to him. Levi followed right behind him and turned off the light. He ended up drifting off to sleep with warmth cradled on either side of him.

~~~~~

"Good morning, Mr. Levi!" the familiar voice greeted him Monday morning as he stopped at the secretary's desk to pick up his mail.

Levi nodded in acknowledgement as he thumbed through the stack of envelopes, "Good morning, Petra."

The strawberry-blonde smiled up at him, "You seem like you're in a good mood. Did you and Mr. Smith have a good weekend?"

Levi smirked slightly, "Mm, you could say that. Have you seen Hanji yet?"

"I think she's showing the new PA around before introducing him to Mr. Smith. They should be at his office by now."

"Good, I needed to head over there anyway." He nodded at her and headed across the bustling room of cubicles that made up the main floor of Survey Corporation. As he neared the President's office, he saw Hanji first. She was talking excitedly to a young man in a grey suit. His back was currently to Levi.

Levi slowed as he approached, a nagging sense of familiarity tugging at his mind. He gave the young man another look, but all he could see from this angle was that he was somewhat tall, fairly broad shouldered, and had somewhat messy, nondescript brown hair. Just then, Hanji spotted him and waved, "Oh, speak of the devil. Levi, come over here!"

The young man's shoulders jerked at Levi's name, and he slowly turned around. Levi found himself staring into wide, vivid green eyes.

Eyes he'd last seen as a cab had pulled away from a hotel two days ago.

_'Fucking shitting **hell** , is this someone's sick idea of a joke?!'_

He kept his expression carefully neutral as he stalked over to Hanji. She beamed at him, "Levi, this is Erwin's new assistant, Eren Jaeger. Eren, this is Levi, the Vice President and co-owner of the company. You'll probably be working under him almost as much as you are Erwin."

"Ah, r-right." The kid looked like he went a little green at Hanji's last unfortunate turn of phrase. Levi probably would have found it amusing if he hadn't been feeling a little sick himself.

Levi gave him a curt nod then turned to Hanji, "I need to talk to Erwin. We'll let you know when you can send him in." She waved him off, and he walked over to Erwin's door, quickly slipping inside and all but slamming it behind him.

Erwin looked up at Levi's entrance, concern flitting across his face, "Levi? Is something wrong?"

"You could fucking say that." Levi pushed his bangs back away from his face. "Hanji just introduced me to your new PA."

"That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"No, it's not. It's really fucking not." Levi sighed, "Just... You should just come over here and see for yourself."

Erwin stood up, giving a confused glance at Levi as he walked over to the window set on the inside wall. He pulled the blinds apart slightly. Levi heard him suck in his breath through his teeth. He didn't have to look through the blinds himself to know what Erwin was seeing: a young man, mid-twenties, with disheveled brown hair, darkly tanned skin, and eyes that were such a brilliant green that there was no mistaking their color even from this far away.

Erwin pulled back from the windows, his expression troubled.

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut, "Things just got complicated."


	3. A New Level of Awkward

Eren shifted his messenger bag on his shoulder as he climbed up the stairs leading from Trost's crowded Metro to the street. He would be glad when he was finally able to set enough money aside to get his car fixed. Hell, he'd be glad to finally get a paycheck again, period. After four months with no job, his savings account (which he'd only set up in the first place at Armin's insistence) was nearly drained dry.

He quickly made his way down the two blocks until he arrived at the entrance to the Survey Corporation headquarters. Looking up at the imposing steel and glass building, Eren took a deep breath to steady himself before pushing through the door and approaching the reception desk. The receptionist looked up and smiled, "Hello! How can I help you?"

He smiled back, "Hi. I had an appointment with Ms. Hanji Zoe today; the name's Jaeger."

"Oh! You must be Mr. Smith's new assistant. Eren, right? Is it okay if I call you that?" She smiled even wider, crinkling her green eyes up at him.

Eren nodded, "Yeah, that's fine."

She pulled out a visitor's pass from her desk and handed it to him, "Here you go. Hanji'll have your I.D. and other documents ready for you. HR is on the sixth floor, and Hanji's office is the third door on the right." She then stuck out her hand to him, "I'm Isabel, by the way. I look forward to working with you, Eren!"

He shook it, reassured that at least one person here seemed to be friendly.

The elevator ride was short, and he soon found himself knocking on the designated door. He was answered with an enthusiastic “Come in!”

The office he stepped into was a far cry from the sterile, impersonal office where his interview for the position had been held. The walls were covered with various degrees, certificates, and photographs, as well as the ubiquitous cat-hanging-on-a-tree-limb poster that seemed to be a standard requirement for every HR department in the world. The desk was a jumbled mess of haphazardly piled papers, and yet said owner of the desk seemed to know exactly where everything was as she deftly extracted a packet and stood up.

Eren extended a hand out to her, “Ms. Zoe, I want to thank you again for giving me this opportunity-“

She tutted, cutting him off, “Please, Eren, call me Hanji; all my friends do. And you and I are going to be good friends, aren't we?”

“Um, I hope so?” Eren nervously ran his hand over the back of his neck.

“Excellent!” She came around the desk to stand next to him and handed over the papers, “Okay, so here’s your badge and your copies of the contract and the non-disclosure agreement. I’m sure I don’t need to remind you how sensitive some of the information you’ll be privy to is.”

Eren nodded as he put the papers away in his bag. Survey Corp. specialized in all areas of security and surveillance services, from designing and consulting on web-based security to setting up and monitoring surveillance systems to actually training and hiring out elite private bodyguards. Corporate espionage was always a concern in any company, but anything that leaked here could not only hurt Survey’s bottom line, but also the clients they served.

Hanji clapped her hands, “Okay, now that the boring stuff’s out of the way, how about a tour?”

She happily led him through a maze of meeting rooms, presentation rooms, training areas, and offices. There was an employee daycare, as well as an employee gym that took up the entire ninth floor (the highest floor you could reach with the visitor’s pass he’d received from Isabel).

The executive offices were on the twenty-fifth floor.

Hanji gestured to one corner of the room, “Over there is Vice-President Smith’s office, and over here is President Smith’s office. Your office will be right by the President’s.”

Eren did a double-take, “Wait, they've got the same last name? Doesn't that get confusing?”

Hanji tilted her head, “Well, they’re married; they actually founded this company together. But you’re right; it can get confusing. That’s why everyone usually just calls the VP by his first name, Levi.”

Eren couldn't help the way his shoulders twitched at the name. Rationally, he knew it was probably a coincidence; it wasn't _that_ uncommon a name. He mentally laughed at himself.

_‘Come on, Jaeger. What are the odds the guy you sucked off just happens to be your new boss? What, do you think you live in a cheesy sitcom or something?’_

“So,” he started, trying to make his question sound casual, “what’s Mr. Levi like?”

“Oh, you’ll like him,” Hanji grinned. “He’s a short, neurotic neat-freak with a predilection for shit jokes, a perpetual scowl, and an ass that won’t quit.” A wave of uneasiness swept over Eren at the description.

_‘No, it can’t be. Maybe I fell and hit my head on the way here.’_

He felt his stomach plummet down to the vicinity of his knees when Hanji waved at something - _someone_ \- behind him, “Oh, speak of the devil. Levi, come over here!”

Eren’s shoulders twitched again as he slowly turned around. He found himself facing a black-haired man who stood a good seven or eight inches shorter than him. As the man walked over, his face set in a stony mask, Eren found a part of himself wondering what he’d done to make God hate him.

Another, quieter part, one controlled by what was probably the lingering effects of his teenage libido, was simply marveling over the fact that Levi looked just as good in a tailored suit as he did in skin-tight leather pants.

Caught by an impassive grey stare, like a mouse trapped by a snake, Eren could vaguely see Hanji grinning out of the corner of his eyes. She addressed the man facing them, "Levi, this is Erwin's new assistant, Eren Jaeger. Eren, this is Levi, the Vice President and co-owner of the company. You'll probably be working under him almost as much as you are Erwin."

Eren nearly choked before stuttering, "Ah, r-right."

_‘Thanks, I really needed that mental image. It’s bad enough I know what my bosses look like naked. ...Oh, fuck. I know what my bosses look like naked.’_

Levi said something about talking to Erwin before stalking off and entering the nearby office. Hanji, meanwhile, started to explain something to Eren, but he honestly couldn't understand a word. His brain was too busy chasing itself in panicked circles as he tried to figure out how to explain to his sister that he'd managed to lose his new job before he'd even technically started.

_‘Funny story: I was half-drunk in a bar when two guys came up to me, and I let them take me to a hotel and fuck me into the mattress. Anyway, turns out the guy that had his cock buried in my ass was my new boss.'_

Oh, _that_ would go over well.

Mikasa was going to kill him. She was going to lecture him about his life choices, kill him, and then lecture his corpse some more.

Maybe he should change his name and move to Argentina. He spoke enough German that he could probably blend in with the ex-pat community there.

His Spanish sucked, though.

Hanji interrupted his escape plans by nudging him, "I think they're ready for you."

He looked up to see Levi sticking his head out of the doorway and glaring at him before ducking back inside. Eren swallowed heavily.

Hanji patted his shoulder. "Don't let Levi intimidate you; his bark is worse than his bite." She turned the pat into a shove toward the door, "Now go get 'em!"

_'Already had them. Fuck.'_

Eren took a deep breath and knocked on Mr. Smith’s office door. It was probably better to get the humiliation over with quickly, like ripping off a band-aid. He cracked the door open, “Sir?”

“Come in, Mr. Jaeger. And shut the door behind you.”

Eren complied. He stood by the entrance and nervously looked around, trying to avoid looking at the imposing blond man seated behind the large mahogany desk. That was possibly a mistake, as his eyes met Levi’s. The shorter man was leaning against the wall just behind Erwin and to his left. His arms were crossed, and he was giving Eren the same glare as he had moments before.

“Eren.” At the sound of the calm, deep voice, Eren finally looked over at Erwin. He was leaning forward slightly, elbows propped on the surface of the desk and his hands clasped just in front of his lips. He straightened up with a sigh, “You can come a bit closer instead of standing at the door like you’re ready to bolt. I don’t bite.”

Eren ignored the derisive snort from Levi at that comment, and took a few steps into the room, stopping a couple feet away from the desk. He clasped his hands behind his back and asked, “Are you firing me, sir?”

Erwin raised an eyebrow, “Well, I wasn't planning on it. Although I perfectly understand if you wish to resign-“

“No! No, I...” Eren blurted out before trailing off and biting his lip. He closed his eyes, images flashing through his brain: his broken-down car, the letter from the lawyer informing him that the suit was stalled until he was able to cover certain fees, the ever-growing stack of bills from Sina Memorial, and the steady beeping of a heart monitor accompanied by the constant hiss from a ventilator. He opened his eyes and continued, “I really need this job, sir.”

“Good. You came highly recommended by Keith Shadis, and I really don’t want to lose you.”

“That, and I’ll probably murder someone if the assistant position goes unfilled for another month, thanks to Mr. Picky over here.”

Erwin spared Levi a quick glance, his lips quirking upward, “True, everyone in the office is happier when we keep your homicidal impulses to a minimum.” He turned back, his gaze becoming serious, “Eren, I know it will be difficult at first, but I think it would be best if you viewed the events of the weekend as an encounter between strangers and nothing more, and something that has no bearing on anyone in this room.”

“In other words,” Levi interjected with a growl, “don’t fucking talk about it. Not to us, not to any of those piss-heads out there, and _especially_ not to Shitty Glasses. Just forget it ever happened, so we can all get the fuck on with our lives.”

“Levi…” Erwin admonished him, equal parts of exasperation, warning, and affection in his tone. Levi just rolled his eyes, and Erwin shook his head at him before reaching into his desk and pulling out a tablet and cell phone. He handed them to Eren, “I've already got my schedule for the week loaded into your company phone; make sure to familiarize yourself with it. Your office is through there,” he pointed to a door in the wall to his right. “You have about an hour to settle in, and then I have a meeting to attend. You only have to observe today, but I still want you there. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.” Eren slipped the phone inside his jacket, and put the tablet with the papers Hanji had given him. At a nod from Erwin, he quickly exited from the room into his office. Once inside, he set his messenger bag on the desk and slumped into the chair there, hiding his face in his hands as he collected himself.

After a few minutes, he took out his new phone and pulled up Erwin’s schedule, a determined expression settling on his face.

_‘I can do this. I **have** to do this’_

He didn't really have a choice.


	4. Talking It Out

By the time Eren got home, he was, well, not _tired_ , exactly. More like mentally exhausted. So much so that when he opened his apartment door and smelled something cooking in the kitchen he was extremely confused, not noticing the two extra pairs of shoes in the entryway.

What he _did_ notice was the pale (and very bare) set of buttocks peeking out from behind the fridge door when he went into the kitchen to investigate.

"Oh my God! Jean! Didn't anybody ever tell you not to wander naked around other people's apartments?"

"Sorry. Didn't think you'd be home yet." Jean straightened up from the fridge after pulling out a bottle of water. Which really only made the problem worse. "Besides you didn't mind when we were dating."

"We _never_ 'dated.'"

Jean rolled his eyes, "Fine. You never minded when we were friends who occasionally had sex."

Eren buried his face in his hands. "Yeah, well now we're just the friends part without the sex, so can you _please_ go and put some pants on?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll get right on that, Your Prudiness." He sauntered down the hallway to the bathroom. "By the way, you're out of clean towels."

"Do I even want to know..." Eren muttered under his breath as he pulled a beer out of the fridge. Then he paused, realizing that if _Jean_ was here, that meant...

Eren stuck his head out of the kitchen and called down the hall, "Ar?"

"Just a minute!"

A moment later, Eren’s best friend and roommate entered the living room, thankfully fully clothed. Eren pulled him into a hug. “Welcome home. I thought you couldn't get a flight back until tomorrow, though?”

“I managed to get a stand-by seat on a red-eye early this morning,” Armin said as he disentangled himself and took a seat on the couch. “Jean had today off, so I had him pick me up at the airport.” Armin grinned at Eren. “So, how was your first day back as a productive member of society?”

Eren sat down in their ratty old armchair and twisted open the beer, taking a long swig. “It was, um. …So, how did the lecture series go, anyway?”

“Eren, you’re avoiding the question. Did something happen?”

“No, no! I just really want to hear how it went! It was your first time being invited to give a lecture, right? What was it about again?”

Armin frowned. “The mating and migratory habits of the North Atlantic squid, and I _highly_ doubt you’d be interested in the subject matter.”

“It does sound like something out of a bad Japanese porn to be honest…” Eren trailed off as Jean came into the room and flopped down next to Armin. “Are those my pants?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Jean shrugged.

“And why are you wearing _my_ pants?”

“Hey, you said to put pants on. You never specified whose they had to be.” Jean’s mouth twitched into a cocky, lop-sided smile. “Besides, they make my ass look fabulous.”

Eren groaned, “Please tell me you’re at least wearing underwear… On second thought, _don’t_ tell me. I’m just going to burn those jeans later anyway.”

Jean opened his mouth to reply, but Armin silenced him with a single look before turning back to Eren, his mouth set in a thin, determined line. “Eren. You’re trying to change the subject. _What happened at work today_?”

“Nothing! Everything was fine! Great even!” Eren squirmed under Armin’s piercing blue stare before finally giving in and hanging his head with a groan, “ _Fine_. But you both have to promise not to tell anyone, not even Mikasa. _Especially_ not Mikasa.” Eren lifted his head to glare at Jean. “I’m serious. Not a word to anyone, Jean.”

“Why’re you looking at me like that?”

“Because if I don’t, you’ll end up telling Marco, and you know Marco can’t keep a secret from Mina to save his life. And Mina is best friends with Annie, and telling Annie is just as good as telling Mikasa. And if Mikasa finds out before I have a chance to tell her myself and kills me, I swear to God, I _will_ come back as an angry and vengeful ghost and haunt _both_ your asses.”

Jean rolled his eyes. “Jesus, Jaeger, what did you do? Don’t tell me you managed to get fired on your _first_ day.”

“No. But I kinda sorta…had sex with my bosses.” The last part was mumbled quickly into the mouth of the beer bottle.

“ _What_?!” Eren winced at the stereo response from the two men on the couch.

“Not _today_. And I didn't _know_ they were my bosses when it happened.” Eren looked down at the floor. “I went to, uh, visit Mom Friday, and I stopped at a bar on the way back. And these two hot, really hot, guys in the bar invited me to a hotel room for the night and I kind of…went with them.”

“You **what**?!” Eren’s head jerked up. Armin was looking at him with an odd mixture of shock, disbelief, and concern on his face. Jean, meanwhile, just seemed surprised, and maybe a little impressed. Armin ran his hand through his long hair, tugging slightly at it as he pulled it back, a sure sign that he was agitated. “Eren, that’s just… _extremely_ irresponsible, not to mention dangerous!”

“I _know_.” Eren looked helplessly at Armin as the blond continued to frown back at him. “Look, I know, alright? Nothing bad happened; they were nice. It…was nice.” He sighed and looked back down at the floor again. “Anyway, I took a cab home Saturday morning, and that was supposed to be the end of it. But then I walk in the office on Monday, and there they are. The two guys I fucked are the President and Vice President of the company, and I’m working directly under them – don’t fucking say it, Jean – and everything’s just really awkward, and I don’t know how I’m supposed to act around them.”

Armin leaned back, settling casually against Jean as he thought. “Did they say anything?”

Eren nodded. “Mr. Smith said to just act like the weekend happened to someone else and didn't have anything to do with work. That’s going to be hard, though.”

Jean opened his mouth, but Armin quickly clapped a hand over it before he could say anything. “That seems like the best idea. Unless you wanted to quit?”

Eren shook his head. “I _can’t_. You know how much I need this job.”

“Well, then you’ll just have to suck it up. There’s really not much you can do about it being awkward, but if you just give it time, things should become more comfortable eventually.”

“Yeah, I guess…”

“Trust me. You know, they’re probably feeling just as awkward about the whole thing as you are.”

Eren thought about his bosses for a moment. Throughout the whole day, Erwin had given off an impression of someone that remained calm and collected no matter what, as if he was always thinking five steps ahead of everyone around him. Eren highly doubted that anything ever fazed the man. As for Levi, he hadn’t seemed _calm_ , exactly. Cold and unapproachable were two words that came to mind, almost as if he were a completely different person than the one that had propositioned him in the bar, though no less intimidating. Eren snorted. He couldn't imagine either of them being the least bit awkward about _anything_.

~~~~~

“Levi, stop pacing and come to bed. You’re going to wear a groove in the floor at this rate.”

“Bite me.”

Erwin’s lips curved up in a smile. “Come to bed, and I just might.”

Levi rolled his eyes, but he climbed into the bed, anyway. Erwin set his book down and opened his arms, and Levi took the invitation to pillow his head against Erwin’s shoulder with a huff. “Today was a fucking disaster.”

“Oh, I don’t think I’d go so far as to say that. In fact, I thought it worked out fairly well today, all things considered.” Erwin soothingly ran his hand through Levi’s hair, feeling the tension slowly leave the other man’s muscles as he relaxed further into Erwin’s side.

“Are you fucking kidding me? Erwin, our weekend fling is now working for us. How are you not concerned about this?”

Erwin shrugged. “I don’t think there’s anything to be concerned about? Eren is an intelligent young man, and he seems determined to do his job well. I’ll admit it’s a little uncomfortable right now, but I don’t think Eren’s the type to obsess over it or let it affect his work, so that should straighten itself out in time.” He grinned down at Levi. “Unless you’re worried I’ll be too distracted by having such a cute young thing wandering around the office.”

Levi snorted. “I’m trying to be serious here, shithead.”

“Oh? Because I’m almost certain that’s a note of jealousy I hear.” Erwin nuzzled his nose against Levi’s ear.

“I hate you.”

“I love you, too, sweetheart.”

~~~~~

Later, when they were both lying in a sweaty, exhausted tangle of limbs under the bed sheets, Erwin decided that the pillow smacking into his face at that last comment had been worth it.


	5. A Seed Is Planted

The next two weeks passed fairly uneventfully. Erwin had been right, as he usually was, and Eren seemed to throw himself headfirst into his work. Part of his enthusiasm was probably just to cover up any lingering embarrassment, but Levi had to give the kid some credit. He quickly grew accustomed to both Erwin’s work habits and his own, allowing him to fill what Levi felt was the primary role of an assistant: filtering out all the usual office bullshit so Erwin could focus on the work that was actually important.

It was Friday afternoon, shortly after lunch, and Eren was going over Erwin’s meeting schedule for the next week when Erwin’s cell phone – his _personal_ cell phone – rang. Levi had a good idea what it was about, considering the half-panicked, half-excited call Erwin had gotten from his brother-in-law the night before last, so he continued to flip through his own schedule while Erwin excused himself and walked over to the window. Eren looked down at his papers, his brows furrowing together in a slight frown as he scribbled some notes on them. Levi had noticed that Eren seemed more subdued on Fridays, in contrast to the entire rest of the office who turned into a herd of chattering monkeys as the weekend approached. Levi almost asked him what was wrong before frowning himself and turning away. As long as it wasn't affecting Eren’s work, Levi didn't – shouldn't – care.

Erwin ended the call and walked back to the desk. “Eren, do I have any more important business this afternoon?”

Eren consulted his phone. “Just a meeting with Mr. Dawk from MP Inc. at four p.m., sir.”

Erwin nodded. “Reschedule Nile for a lunch meeting on Monday, and then clear everything else from today. Levi and I will be leaving early. Once you get that done, you can go home for the rest of the day, too.”

Eren nodded and stood up to leave Erwin’s office. “Yes, sir.” He shot a curious glance at Erwin as he left, but he kept any questions to himself.

As the door clicked shut, Levi looked up at Erwin. “How’s Nan doing?”

“My sister and my niece are doing well,” Erwin said with a small, happy smile. “Mike said they can have visitors now.”

“Alright. Let me just stop by my office, and then we can go. The sooner we get home and change, the sooner we can be at the hospital.”

~~~~~

“Erwin, just admit we’re lost and ask one of the nurses for directions.”

“I could have sworn they said Maternity was the second corridor on the right…”

Levi stopped and pinched the bridge of his nose. As he lifted his head, a flash of blue caught his eye, and he watched a familiar figure, carrying a bouquet of flowers, disappear into a room ahead of them. “Was that…Eren?”

“Looks like it.”

“Maybe he knows where we need to go.” Levi walked closer to the room the young man had disappeared into, intending to talk to him when he got done visiting whoever it was.

“Hi, Mom. I brought you more of your favorite flowers.” The voice drifting out into the hallway was definitely Eren’s. Levi froze, exchanging a glance with Erwin. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but Eren hadn't shut the door completely. Levi huffed silently and started to motion Erwin back when Eren’s next words made them both pause. “Remember I told you about my new job last week? I was really nervous at first, but Mr. Smith is actually really nice. Mr. Levi is nice, too. Oh, but I don’t think he actually wants anyone to notice. In fact, I think he’d get mad if you pointed it out to him.”

Levi heard a choked sound behind him and turned to glare up at his husband. Erwin had his hand clamped over his mouth as he fought back laughter.

And then the amusement dancing in Erwin’s blue eyes died as Eren’s next words reached the two of them. “I really wish you’d wake up, Mom…” Eren’s voice broke into the unmistakable sound of a soft sob.

_‘Fuck. We really shouldn't be listening to this.’_

Erwin seemed to come to the same conclusion as Levi and nudged him down back the way they came. Unfortunately, they hadn't quite made it when a door clicked behind them.

“Mr. Smith? Mr. Levi? What are you doing here?”

Of course, this time Eren had noticed them.

Levi looked back, keeping his expression carefully neutral, while Erwin granted Eren one of his patented smiles and did all the talking. “Hello, Eren. We’re here to visit my sister and her new baby, but we seemed to have gotten lost.”

“Oh!” Eren quickly scrubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand while the two of them pretended not to notice. “You just went a little too far. I can take you down there, if you’d like?”

“It’s fine, Eren. I don’t want to impose if you’re here visiting someone.”

Eren shook his head. “No, it’s okay. I, um, I was just dropping off some flowers. My sister is visiting tomorrow, so I'll come back here with her for a couple hours then.”

Erwin’s smile turned a bit more genuine. “In that case, thank you, Eren. I’d appreciate it.”

A few minutes later, and all three of them were standing in front of the Plexiglas window looking into the nursery. Levi gestured toward the rooms. “Alright, Erwin. I’ll meet you down in the café when you’re done.” As he watched Erwin disappear into Nanaba’s room, Levi felt eyes on the back of his neck and looked over his shoulder to meet Eren’s inquisitive stare. “What?”

“Aren't you going to see them, too?”

Levi shrugged. “Nah. I’ll get my chance later. You’re not supposed to have a bunch of people around newborns; they get sick easily. And it’s Erwin’s family, so…” Levi shoved his hands into his jeans and turned to face the nursery.

Next to him, Eren did the same. A few minutes passed in only slightly uncomfortable silence before Eren broke it. “I come here a lot when I’m visiting Mom. It helps, sometimes.”

_‘So much for acting like we didn't hear anything.’_

Levi looked away from the little androgynous bundles of joy arbitrarily swaddled in either blue or pink to glance over at Eren. He was staring into the nursery, his green eyes slightly unfocused as if he was thinking about something else, and he suddenly looked much younger and more vulnerable to Levi than the twenty-six years that was written on his resume. Levi found himself fighting off an urge to pull Eren down to his shoulder and run his hand through his hair until he stopped looking so damn _lost_.

_‘Shit. **This** is why I don’t like to know the guys that Erwin and I fuck.’_

“C’mon, kid,” Levi said gruffly as he dug his hands deeper into his pockets. “Let’s go get some of the overpriced tar that this place tries to pass off as coffee.”

Eren blinked at him slowly before curling his lips into a small smile. “Sure. Sounds fun.”

~~~~~

Eren had been a bit surprised when Levi had offered to get coffee with him. Not as surprised as he’d been to run into his bosses in the first place, but still.

Levi fidgeted a bit as they sat across from each other in a booth, sipping on the not-entirely-terrible coffee. Finally, Levi’s eyes flicked up to meet Eren’s. “I’m sorry. Earlier, Erwin and I heard you. In the room…” He trailed off and looked away as if he was unsure where to go from there.

“No, it’s okay. I left the door open, I know. It’s not like you did it on purpose.”

Levi took a drink, grimacing slightly, probably at the taste. “How long has your mom been here?”

“About four months now.”

“Hmm.” Levi didn't ask anything else, his eyes scanning the crowd of doctors, nurses, and visitors in the café. Eren felt as if Levi was leaving it up to him to decide if he wanted to talk about it or not, which he felt a surge of gratitude for.

He chewed his lip in contemplation before deciding to continue. “You know that big earthquake we had this year?”

Levi turned his attention back to Eren. “The one they’re calling the ‘Titan?’”

“Yeah. It was centered up in Shiganshina, where I grew up. Mom still lives there. Well, our house collapsed, and Mom was trapped in the rubble for a few hours before the rescue crews found her. She’s been in a coma ever since.”

“Shit.” Levi’s eyes went wide. “I’m sorry, Eren.”

Eren shook his head. “No, it’s fine. Well, it’s _not_ fine, really. It’s actually kind of a mess.” Eren ran his hand through his hair and sighed with frustration. “The inspectors found that the house collapsed because of faulty construction, so the insurance company says the construction company is responsible for the bills, but they’re refusing to admit fault. My dad and mom got divorced when I was a kid – he moved back to Germany – but Dad helped me pay the retainer fee for a lawyer. But right after that, I got laid off from my old job, so the case has just kind of been stalled since then because there were other fees that came up that I couldn't pay, and I didn't want to ask Dad for more help.”

Levi raised one eyebrow and regarded Eren carefully. “That’s not a mess, kid. That’s a clusterfuck.”

Eren gave a short laugh in response. “Yeah, that’s one way of putting it. Anyway, it was kind of touch and go with Mom there for a while, but she’s stable now. The doctors say she could wake up at any time, and she _does_ respond sometimes. She’ll blink or move her eyes, that kind of thing, but she hasn't regained full consciousness yet. I just…” Eren paused as he realized he was gripping the cardboard cup just a little too tightly. He set it down on the table and folded his hands together, keeping his gaze focused on his fingers. “I just feel so helpless.”

“Eren.” Eren snapped his head up. Levi was looking straight at him, his grey eyes steady and calm. “I don’t know your mother, of course, but if she’s even half as stubborn as you, then she’s going to come out of this. She’s a fighter, isn't she?”

“Yeah.” Eren nodded, then smiled. “She’d have to be, to put up with me as a teenager.”

“Then you just have to believe in her.” Levi’s hand briefly patted Eren’s hands where they were still clasped together. Then Levi looked across the room and stood up. “Looks like Erwin’s done. Come on, we can give you a ride home; it’s too damn cold lately to mess with the buses.”

Eren got up behind him. “Okay. And Levi?” He waited until Levi looked over his shoulder at him. “Thanks.”

“Tch. Whatever. I just don’t need a brat moping around the office. It’d make me feel like strangling someone.”

Eren smiled to himself as he followed the two men out of the hospital. Despite the chill wind blowing through his clothes, there was a warmth blooming in his chest and lingering across the back of his hand.


	6. A Change In the Wind

"Okay, out with it. What's wrong?"

Eren looked up from where he was picking at his sandwich. He and Mikasa had stopped for lunch after spending the morning in the hospital, but Eren wasn't really hungry. He cleared his throat and met his sister's dark grey eyes. "Um, I...I have something to tell you. Before you hear it from someone else."

Mikasa set her fork down, focusing all her attention on Eren.

He took a deep breath. "So... Right before I started my new job, I kinda accidentally slept with my bosses."

"What?!" Mikasa jumped to her feet and leaned across the table toward Eren. "Eren, are you alright? If you were forced-"

"No!" Eren interrupted her and motioned her to sit back down, frantically looking around the restaurant to see if anyone had overheard. "No, it's not like that," he insisted firmly, keeping his voice low. "My hiring went through HR, I didn't know at the time who they were, and they didn't know who I was, either. We just met in a bar one night, that's all."

While he was talking, Mikasa slowly sat down, her eyebrows tightly knit together. "You're an idiot."

"Yeah, Armin's already made me well aware of that, thanks."

"Let me finish. You're an idiot for going off with someone you just met, but you're an adult, and it's not my place to approve or disapprove of your sex life. I just hope you were safe, at least."

Eren could feel the tips of his ears start to go red, and he took a bite of his sandwich and nodded, trying to hide his embarrassment. Erwin had used protection, at least. And, in hindsight, Eren knew he should have made Levi do the same, but he'd gotten a bit caught up in the moment at the time. Not that Mikasa needed to know the details. "I went in to get tested last week, too. Everything came back negative."

"That's good." They ate in somewhat awkward silence for a few minutes before Mikasa looked back up and pursed her lips. "Wait. You said boss **es**."

"Oh, um." Eren twirled a french fry around on his plate. "The President and Vice President of the company are married. I, uh, I went to a hotel with both of them. Together."

"Eren!" Mikasa leaned her elbows on the table and covered her face with both her hands. "Oh, my God! I shouldn't have asked."

Eren grinned and turned his attention back to his lunch, his appetite returning now that his nervousness was gone.

~~~~~

"Is there anything else you need, sir?"

Erwin looked up from the files he'd had Eren bring him. It was Friday again, two weeks after they'd run into Eren at the hospital. He watched Eren fidget restlessly for a moment before smiling at him. "No, I think I'm set. It's getting late; go ahead and leave for the day."

Eren didn't budge. "I don't feel right leaving while you're still working. Especially since Mr. Levi isn't in the office today."

Levi being out of the office was one of the reasons Erwin was still working, even though most of the office had gone home. Still, Stohess was an important client, and that was why Levi was personally overseeing the implementation of the security system in their new building today. He waved his hand at Eren as he picked up a different report. "I'm sure I can manage. Go ahead, Eren."

Eren still hesitated, chewing his lip. He opened his mouth as if he was about to say something when he froze. Erwin watched as Eren pulled his phone out and frowned at the display. Eren blanched. "It's the hospital." He looked at Erwin apologetically. "Sorry. I have to take this."

Erwin gave another wave of his hand and went back to his reports.

Eren nodded at him and put his phone to his ear. "Hello, Eren Jaeger speaking." He started to walk to the door leading to his own office when he stopped, one hand still resting on the doorknob.

"Did something... No, no, I can be there in about ten minutes but... Look, just tell me what's wrong!" Erwin tried not to listen in, but as Eren's voice rose in clear distress, Erwin gave up all pretense of trying to work. He looked over at his assistant in concern.

Eren had one hand gripping his phone so tightly that Erwin could see his knuckles going white. He ran his other hand into his hair, tangling his fingers tight and tugging at it. "No, sorry... I see... Yes, I'll be there as soon as I can... Okay... Bye." Eren ended the call and just stood in place, staring at the phone still gripped tightly in his hand.

Erwin cleared off his desk, shoving some papers into his briefcase before standing up and walking over to the younger man. He stopped a few feet away and called out to him, keeping his voice pitched low, "Eren. Is something wrong?" 

Eren jumped and looked up at him, his eyes finally losing their unfocused glaze. He swallowed. "I don't...I don't know. They wouldn't tell me; just said I needed to come in and talk to the doctor right away."

"Get your coat. I'll drive you to the hospital."

Eren shook his head. "No, i-it's fine. I've got my own car back now, I can-"

"That wasn't an offer, Eren. You're white as a sheet and your hands are shaking; I'm not letting you get behind the wheel in that state." He crossed his arms and stared the younger man down.

Eren yielded first, breaking eye-contact with a mumbled, "Thank you, sir."

~~~~~

A hospital waiting room wasn't the ideal place to work on a laptop, but Erwin managed. It had been about two hours when he finally spotted Eren saying something to the doctor in the hallway before the doctor walked off in one direction and Eren stepped into the waiting room. Erwin hastily put his computer away and stood up when Eren drew closer, and he felt his heart sink when he noticed the tear-tracks running down his assistant's face. "Eren?"

Eren scrubbed at his face with one hand. "I'm fine. Mom woke up." A smile drew back Eren's lips, even as fresh tears welled in his eyes. "She finally woke up...I..." Whatever else Eren had been trying to say dissolved into sobs, and Erwin acted without thinking about it and pulled Eren close. Eren gave a hiccuping laugh into his shoulder. "Jeez, I'm so pathetic... I'm happy, but I can't stop crying..."

Erwin hummed soothingly. "It's understandable. You've been under a lot of stress."

Eren pulled back, and Erwin let him go. Eren rubbed at his eyes again. "Yeah, but now I've ruined your suit _and_ embarrassed myself."

Erwin just shrugged. "It's nothing that drycleaning can't fix, and as far as I'm concerned, you haven't done anything you should feel embarrassed about." Erwin picked up his coat and settled it around his shoulders. "Now, would you like a ride home, or do you still have things to take care of here?"

"I think I'll take you up on that ride, actually."

~~~~~

When they pulled up to Eren's apartment building, a young blond man about Eren's age was waiting outside to meet them. He was presumably Eren's housemate; Eren had made a phone call to him once they'd left the hospital. While Erwin was for the most part glad that Eren had a friend to look out for him, he couldn't help but notice a small twinge of jealousy at the casual intimacy the two displayed in their body language as the blond ushered Eren into the building. He also couldn't help but realize that the feeling of jealousy had  _not_ been there when it logically should have - two weeks ago, when he spotted Levi awkwardly comforting Eren in the hospital café.

As Erwin drove to his own home, he filed those two observations away to consider later, preferably when Levi wasn't six hundred miles away on a business trip.

It was probably also for the best that he not dwell too closely on how natural it had felt to have Eren in his arms.

Not yet, anyway.


End file.
